Watch the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and Chiron Pur Sport at Nardò Technical Center
The Nardò proving grounds in Apulia, Italy is the perfect rendezvous point for Bugatti's Chiron Super Sport+ and Chiron Pur Sport. For the first time, Bugatti's record-breaking Chiron Super Sport 300+ and Chiron Pur Sport are sharing a racetrack for development test drives.
Without a doubt, the Nardò Technical Center is one of the few places in the world to exploit the potential of Bugatti's most extreme hyper sports cars. Measuring 12.6 kilometers (7.83 miles) long and four kilometers (2.48 miles) in diameter, the Nardò proving ground is known as the fastest vehicle circuit in the world.
Unlike other racetracks or test tracks, Nardò is unique. The outer edge of the track tilts towards the center by more than 12 degrees. And with a low parabolic profile to compensate the centrifugal force when attacking a curve, drivers get the sensation of driving in a straight line at speeds over 258 mph (400 km/h).
"The Nardò test track with the high-speed circular track and the handling track is ideal for us. Here we can extensively enhance the Chiron Pur Sport and Chiron Super Sport 300+ at different speeds – and at high temperatures," said Stefan Ellrott, Head of Development at Bugatti. "Our hyper sports cars must not only operate flawlessly at moderate speeds and temperatures but also at speeds beyond 300 km/h, as well as in cold and hot conditions."
However, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and Pur Sport are not the same car. The Super Sport 300+ is the most powerful Bugatti ever built and is currently the fastest series-production car. Only 30 units are allocated for production, and each can achieve 304.773 mph. It still has a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 motor, but it has 100 more horsepower than a standard Chiron for a total output of 1,600 horsepower.
On the other hand, the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is gifted with more athleticism. It's 110 pounds lighter than a standard Chiron, and it has firmer coil springs and custom Michelin/Bugatti Cup 2 R tires. Whereas the Chiron Super Sport 300+ is meant to slice the wind with its longtail rear-end, the Pur Sport is all about downforce. It still has an 8.0-liter W16 engine producing 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque.
The Nardò Technical Center has 43 miles (70 kilometers) of track for testing, while the infield of the high-speed test track has a 3.85-mile (6.2-kilometers) handling course – perfect for both the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and Chiron Pur Sport.